An inflatable tubular beam, also known as an air beam or air tube, is a structural support element having a pre-shaped structure, e.g., a cylindrical tube, of flexible material which is inflated to develop its rigidity. Air beams are particularly useful in situations where light weight and/or compact storage capability of the uninflated element are desired.
Inflated air beams can take various shapes and forms. Arched air beams are used, inter alia, in rapidly deployable shelters. Due to the light weight and compactness of the inflatable beams, such shelters are more conveniently transported, more quickly erected, and require less labor than conventional rigid structures.
It is known in the prior art to produce an inflatable curved or arched tubular beam or air beam by providing a gas-impermeable elastomeric or polymer film tubular lining or air bladder inside a fiber reinforced outer sleeve, such as a braided sleeve. When used in a tent or other structure, the tent fabric is positioned over these air beams to form the interior space of the tent or structure.
As with tents that use rigid support members, it is important to tension the tent fabric on the supports to prevent or reduce ponding (the collection of water on the fabric), excessive flutter of the fabric during windy conditions, etc. Unfortunately, unlike when rigid support structures are used, problems in getting the tent fabric to stay aligned on the air beams and maintaining proper tension exist. Current methods to tension the fabric on the air beam structures requires the user to pull the fabric from each end. However, because users typically only put tension on the fabric by pulling along the lace lines, where adjacent panels of material are laced together, this method is problematic and does not adequately secure the fabric to the air beam.
Current assembly methods require laying separate fabric panels between the air beams, pulling two panels of tent fabric together over one beam and lacing the two panels together. As the two panels are being laced together, the joined panels are buckled to the air beam using web and buckles attached to both the fabric sections and beams. As discussed previously, the present inventors have identified this method of assembly to be problematic as it prevents properly tensioning the tent fabric and aligning the tent fabric relative to the air beams.
In view of the above, there exists a need in the art for an improved structural support for supporting fabric panels for forming structures that enables improved positioning and/or tensioning of the tent fabric that overcomes the problems existing in the art. The apparatus and method of the present invention provides such a structural support and method of securing fabric panels to the structural support.